New federal bill would let people sue over AI deepfakes of themselves

Q: What does it cost, and who pays?

Violators face civil damages of thousands of dollars per violation, plus possible punitive damages for willful misuse; false takedown or counter-claims can also trigger penalties.

Placed on the calendarS. 4591Latest action Jun 24, 2026

Sponsor: Christopher A. Coons · Senator · DE

AIDecoded by AI · checked against the record

Read the official text

Official title: NO FAKES Act of 2026

119th Congress

Topics: Jobs & the economy

Introduced: May 20, 2026

Read the official bill on Congress.gov

In plain words

The plain-language version comes first. The official text is always the reference.

The NO FAKES Act would create a federal right to control AI deepfakes of a person's voice or likeness, enforceable in court.

50-second read · 5 questions answered below

What does this do?

S. 4591 creates a federal legal right letting people control unauthorized AI-generated "digital replicas" of their voice or likeness, including deepfake videos, audio, or images. Unauthorized use, or making tools designed mainly to create such deepfakes, could trigger civil lawsuits with per-violation damages and possible punitive damages. The right survives death and can be inherited for up to 70 years.

Who does it affect?

Affects everyday individuals, celebrities, performers, and their estates seeking to fight unauthorized deepfakes, as well as tech companies and platforms hosting user content that host such material.

Why does it matter?

The law would shift legal risk toward creators and distributors of nonconsensual digital replicas while granting platforms a safe harbor if they promptly remove flagged content, and it narrows most state-level rules on this issue.

What does it cost, and who pays?

Damages of thousands per violation
Extra punitive damages if willful
Penalties for false takedown claims

AI-drafted summary. Check it against the official text before you act on it.

Read the official bill on Congress.gov

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Where does it stand?

IntroducedMay 20, 2026
Senate committee
Senate voteYou are here · Jun 24, 2026
House
The president's desk

Right now: it was placed on the , and the official record shows no floor action on it since. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the president.

Latest action: June 24, 2026 — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 446.

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How it's being covered

Coverage of this bill from across the press. Each outlet's political lean is labeled where AllSides has rated it, and marked "Not rated" where it has not.

Newest of these articles: Sep 30, 2026

deadline.com
Not rated
Ted Cruz Blocks Senators’ Effort To Pass No Fakes Act
Sep 30, 2026
“The bill would establish a right of a person to control the use of voice and image in digital replication.” — deadline.com
itsecuritynews.info
Not rated
NO FAKES Act advances: What CISOs need to know
Jun 26, 2026
“<p>This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the Nurture Originals, Foster Art and Keep Entertainment Safe Act, legislation that would esta...” — itsecuritynews.info
musicbusinessworldwide.com
Not rated
NO FAKES: Senate panel backs bill that could cost platforms $750k per AI deepfake
Jun 18, 2026
“The US Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced the NO FAKES Act…” — musicbusinessworldwide.com
deadline.com
Not rated
No Fakes Act Clears Senate Judiciary Committee
Jun 18, 2026
“The legislation is meant to curb the use of deepfakes in AI.” — deadline.com
thewrap.com
Not rated
Senate Judiciary Committee Clears No Fakes Act
Jun 18, 2026
“The No Fakes Act is aimed at cracking down on the use of unauthorized AI deepfakes” — thewrap.com

Lean labels describe the news outlet, not this bill or any party. Ratings by AllSides.